"Our chance?" Clark muttered.

"But, Scrooge, do you think a war can really destroy all of Europe?" Rockefeller asked.

"Are you doubting the destructive efficiency of modern warfare? John. Think back to the civil war that just passed. Scrooge sneered and said, "During the Civil War, many of us were still using musket guns, and the cannons we used were all smoothbore bronze cannons. But how destructive? The whole civil war, we died a million people, the whole South was destroyed. Atlanta was simply burned to the ground. And after that, the technology used to kill people changed revolutionarily. ”

Speaking of this, Scrooge bared a mouthful of white teeth and laughed: "You are not very familiar with the development of weapons now. John, in the past, you were in charge of the infantry weapons company, but in the past few years your energy has been focused on oil; Mr. Clark was even less aware. The day after tomorrow, a purchasing group is going to come to us to purchase new weapons, and we are going to give them a display of firepower. You can also go and have a look. In our time, the destructive power of war is rising at an unprecedented rate. ”

"How stupid can Europeans be to fight so hard as soon as they start fighting?" Clark still had some doubts.

"Yes, Clark." Rockefeller said, "War is something that is very difficult to end once it has begun." It's like our civil war. Besides, now on the European continent, the Germans have become the sworn enemies of France. To continue to suppress the French, they would have to bring their own industry to France. Because industry is the foundation of strength. But the stronger the industry, the bigger the market it needs, and the hot money in Europe needs to have a good place to go. Many of them will enter Germany, which will allow Germany's power to expand too quickly. Oh, who's going to see our weapons in two days? ”

"It's French." "They came to us to buy the cannon that had beaten them badly." Perhaps in the future, we will also produce these cannons directly in France. ”

"French?" Rockefeller frowned, "Do they have the ability to pay?" ”

During the time of Napoleon III, France's finances were strained, and the problem of insufficient ability to pay was always severe. This has even become people's impression of government procurement in France. Can the French government pay a lot of money for weapons?

"France today is not the same as it was under Napoleon III." Scrooge laughed, "At the beginning, Napoleon III insisted on maintaining the income of the peasants on the same level as when Emperor Napoleon was in power, and all the money was used there, of course, the finances were tight. Now, on the pretext of repaying the reparations in order to recover the occupied territories in the north, the French government has abolished all kinds of subsidies for the peasants, which can be regarded as a surplus of money for the treasury. Moreover, the French have a lot of valuable things in their hands, and after mortgaging them to others, they also get a lot of money. ”

"Mortgaging something valuable? What did they put on mortgage? Rockefeller asked.

"I've heard that they mortgaged a majority stake in the Suez Canal to Rothschild." Scrooge replied, "I borrowed a lot of money from this." ”

"It's a good business to make money." Rockefeller said, "It's a pity that the Rothschild guys took advantage of it." ”

"No way, their influence in Europe is not comparable to ours, especially in terms of financing. Sooner or later, though, we're going to take them down! Mr. Clark, do you think we can do it? ”

"Mr. MacDonald, we can do it. In addition, I think that our food companies should also use the French springboard to enter Europe. Mr. MacDonald, how is our advocacy capacity over there in Europe? Clark asked.

"It's not too good, at least it's not comparable to our propaganda capabilities in the United States." Scrooge replied.

"So, have we set off a wave of public opinion about food safety in Europe?" Clark asked.

"Mr. Clark, you have a good idea! It's really good! Scrooge laughed, "It's time for us to go to Europe to produce Spam and build 163 pig farms." To be honest, the food companies in Europe are too small to be our opponents. ”

"But it's better to have the Europeans come up with a food safety standard first, and that's the best." Clark said.

"It's not easy, those guys in Europe are not fools, and we don't have enough propaganda power in Europe. But ......" said this, Rockefeller seemed to remember something, and suddenly stopped.

Scrooge and Clark were very familiar with Rockefeller, and knew that he must have suddenly thought of some kind of idea, but he was still refining it in his head, so they didn't ask him, just waited there quietly.

After a long time, Rockefeller raised his head and said to Scrooge and Clark in a hurried tone: "Scrooge, Clark, do you see if this will work?" We deliberately provoked a trade dispute, and then let their media report on the incident along with our standards and so on. For example, after Ohio introduced mandatory standards, we wanted to help the government deliberately spot check food in a European country, and then find a whole bunch of harmful substances, and then Ohio announced a ban on the sale of this kind of product in that country in the state. Such a thing will definitely attract the attention and coverage of the European media. In this way, the issue of food safety standards can naturally attract attention in Europe. ”

"Sounds good! John, which country do you think we can pick and choose from? Scrooge asked.

"How is Spain? Spain has limited power and a poor image in the United States. Even if you offend him, there's nothing to be afraid of. Clark said.

"What do you think, John?" Scrooge asked.

"Spain is at best an add-on," Mr. Rockefeller said, "and Spain is too weak to be targeted alone and not sensational enough." I think Germany is the best target. Germany is now very important in Europe, but it is not even as powerful abroad as Spain. They have nothing to do with us, and if we move them, the more attention they can attract in Europe, and even many European media will stand on our side and attack Germany. Especially those countries that compete with German products will also check the safety of German food, and then it is easy to cause mutual testing competitions and commercial battles, and then they will also establish their own food safety standards. Germany is the best target. And the target must be something very famous, what does Germany come from? Germany has sausages, Spain has such a ham or what? ”

"Iberian ham, Germany also has Black Forest ham." Clarke, after all, was in charge of food, and almost without thinking about saying the two names.

"Okay, let's do them!" Rockefeller said viciously.

……

Two days later, Scrooge, along with Rockefeller and Clark, accompanied a group of French to an artillery range at MacDonald's Infantry Weapons Company. The Frenchman was led by an army colonel named Charles, who is said to have witnessed firsthand how German artillery ravaged the French army as an artillery officer during that tragic war. On the way to the shooting range, Scrooge could feel that perhaps because he was beaten too badly by the German artillery, Colonel Charles was very resentful of himself for providing the Germans with cannons. However, as long as he can make money, Scrooge does not care too much about the arrogant attitude of the French.

Soon, the group arrived at the shooting range. On the shooting range, five cannons have already been placed.

"Colonel Charles." Scrooge said to the tall, lanky, compass-looking French colonel, "This is the artillery we want you and your colleagues to show you and your colleagues today." This smaller 70mm infantry gun has the greatest advantage of being lightweight, two people can drag it away, and the curved trajectory allows blasting shells to be fired directly into the trenches. This one is ......"

"Mr. MacDonald," said Colonel Charles, his voice a little shaky, as if mixed with fear and hatred, "I know this cannon. This is a 75-mm field gun with a rate of fire of up to 20 rounds per minute and a range of 8 km, and it was it that defeated our army back then. ”

Then Colonel Charles was silent for a moment, and then asked, "Mr. MacDonald, can you tell us about the larger guns?" ”

"It's better to let an expert introduce you to something like this." Scrooge said.

At this time, a middle-aged and elderly man in a gray trench coat stepped forward and said to Colonel Charles, "Hello, Colonel. I'm Bull, the technical director of artillery at MacDonald's Infantry Weapons Company. Allow me to be your narrator. ”

"Thank you so much, Mr. Bull." Colonel Charles resisted the urge to strangle the guy and tried to be polite.

"This one is a MacDonald Type 1870 105mm howitzer with a range of 10 kilometers and a rate of fire that can reach as fast as fifteen rounds per minute. Although its rate of fire is lower than that of a 75mm gun, the projectiles it fires are much more powerful. In particular, the high-explosive grenade is more than twice as powerful as the 75-mm high-explosive grenade, so in terms of firepower, it is much stronger than the 75-mm field gun. Thanks to our unique steel and body tube technology, the gun is actually not heavy, plus we have equipped it with the latest rubber pneumatic tires. As long as four heavy horses, you can pull it around, and the battlefield maneuverability and 75mm field artillery are almost the same. Of course, if it is used in the mountains, it is still necessary to add four heavy horses. I build that your army can use this artillery as a divisional artillery against the Germans.

As for this MacDonald Type 1870 155 mm gun. It is more powerful and has more range, but it is a bit heavier, and it is more suitable as a fortress gun or railway gun. Of course, you can also pull it around with 12 heavy horses. As for the 203mm gun over there, we designed it as a fortress gun and a train gun......"